A variety of devices have been developed to detect sounds produced by the body, such as heart and lung sounds. These devices range from primarily mechanical devices, such as a stethoscope, to various electronic devices, such as microphones and transducers. The stethoscope, for example, is a fundamental tool used in the diagnosis of diseases and conditions of the cardiovascular system. It serves as the most commonly employed technique for diagnosis of such diseases and conditions in primary health care and in circumstances where sophisticated medical equipment is not available, such as remote areas.
Clinicians readily appreciate that detecting relevant cardiac symptoms and forming a diagnosis based on sounds heard through the stethoscope, for example, is a skill that can take years to acquire and refine. Heart sounds are often separated from one another by relatively short periods of time, and abnormal sounds that may be characteristic of cardiac disorders may be less audible than normal heart sounds. In some examples, a system may be used to generate a graphical representation (e.g., a phonocardiogram) of detected heart sounds.